Irish Americans in DC lobby for immigration reform

A group of Irish Americans led by Billy Lawless, the Chicago businessman and diaspora representative to the Irish Senate, spent two days in Washington, D.C. last week to lobby politicians on immigration reform.

In addition to Senator Lawless, Chicago Celts officer Brendan Magee, AOH national director Dan Dennehy and Keith Carney of the AOH National Immigration Working Committee were part of the group.

They met with Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, House members Peter King and Joe Crowley of New York, Michael Quigley of Illinois, Brendan Boyle and Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, Richie Neal of Massachusetts, and representatives of U.S. and Irish government, including officials at the State Department and Irish Ambassador to the U.S. Dan Mulhall.

Their talks focused on immigration reform matters related to earlier talks between President Trump and Taoiseach Varadkar, as well as Irish and U.S. citizens and businesses in Ireland and America, the Irish undocumented, reports of recent uptick in visa denial at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin and DACA. The McGuinness Principles, an Irish American effort related to the remaining elements of the now 20-year-old Good Friday Agreement, were also discussed.